


sticks and stones may block my path (but I have you to guide me)

by authoressjean



Series: the changed future [22]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nonsensical fluff, but mostly this is the feel-good fic, discusses loss of parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-21 14:18:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1553399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/authoressjean/pseuds/authoressjean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post "I will carry your pain".</p><p>Fili, Kili, and the others reach the Shire after dealing with the Blue Mountains, and find that there may be more battles to be won at Bag-End. Namely, with a young girl who isn't dealing well with the loss of her parents, and two uncles who are lost in how to help her.</p><p>Good thing they've got pranks in their arsenal. Because that helps everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The thorny path

**Author's Note:**

> The 'verse! I have returned to the 'verse!
> 
> This story has fought me since day one. It has been ridiculous. I am so ready to be done with it and I hope you get some enjoyment out of it. And in case anyone was at home keeping score, I've rearranged the order of the series. I may or may not be content now.
> 
> Two notes before you wander further:
> 
> 1\. Elodie's response to her parent's deaths is as realistic as it comes. I have helped a lot of kids through the years who faced loss as deep as this, and I've seen all the responses, from withdrawing into themselves to getting into fights at every turn. The loss of a parent at any age is hard. The loss of a parent or other family member at a young age? Very, very hard.
> 
> 2\. The entire prank storyline is completely Darth Stitch's fault. Yes, yes it is.

The Shire’s sky always seemed more blue every time Ori saw it. It was especially refreshing after leaving the Blue Mountains and the stuffy meeting rooms. Here, at last, they could celebrate and relax and enjoy themselves, and as they approached Bag-End, he intended to do just that.

“I can take the horses to the stables,” Tauriel offered. “Gimli, will you go with me?”

“Aye, and gladly,” Gimli said. He grinned at her as if she were made of gems, and Tauriel’s lips turned up in joy. Seemed that the Shire was good for everyone.

Ori left them to it as he slid off his horse and pulled his things from the saddle. “If you do things like that, how are people to know you’ve a strapping husband to help you?” Dwalin asked, and in a quick move he had the bags out from under Ori’s grasp. He pressed a quick kiss to the side of Ori’s head before heading through the gate to Bag-End.

Ori felt his cheeks heat a little at the brazen display of affection. Apparently the Shire was good for _everyone_. He hurried to catch up, and Dwalin gave him a bright grin over his shoulder.

The negotiations had been fair but hard, Ori’s fingers being worn to the bone with all the writing he’d done. Fili had been exhausted every night, as Dwalin had told Ori, and he’d all but had to carry the new king to his chambers. But it was over now, the trade route had been agreed upon, and they could all relax before returning to Erebor. It was rest sorely needed.

Dwalin came to a halt in the doorway, startling Ori. “What’s the matter?” he asked. Then he also looked down.

There, in the doorway, was the tiniest hobbit Ori had seen since Merry. He had dark hair, the thickest crop of it that looked as tangled as the bushes in front of Bag-End. His eyes were bright blue, like gems, and for a moment, Ori didn’t understand what about this hobbit had brought Dwalin up so short. Dwalin blinked down at the little lad. The hobbit blinked up.

“Uncle, are you there?” Kili called from behind them, and the little hobbit hurried and disappeared into the home. Dwalin still stared after him. “Uncle?”

“Are you all right?” Ori asked his husband with some growing concern. Dwalin still hadn’t moved beyond to open his mouth, only to close it again.

“I’m…it’s fine,” he finally said, and he gave his head a thorough shake. “Just…never mind.”

“What’s never mind?” Kili asked. “You can’t possibly have seen something of any danger, and if you did, I’ll ask you to keep it kindly to yourself. I think Fili’s ready to blow as it is.”

“Just a tiny hobbit,” Ori said. “A cute little hobbit, nothing dangerous.”

“Dark hair, blue eyes,” Dwalin said, and he still looked dazed. “No, nothin’ dangerous there, either.”

“Like a mini Uncle,” Kili joked, and Dwalin twitched. Then, before Ori could do anything more than stare at him with a dropped jaw, he quickly dropped their bags, then turned around and hurried to the main cart to help.

Kili and Ori stared after him before turning to each other. “No,” Kili breathed. “It can’t be.”

“Of course it can’t be!” Ori said incredulously. “They’re both _men_ , Kili. Their body structure simply doesn’t _work_ that way. You’re being as ridiculous as my husband is!” Though Ori had to admit…the little hobbit _had_ looked an awful lot like Thorin.

Oh Mahal help him, he was being as stupid as they were.

“No, no, you’re right,” Kili said, and he shook his head. “It just seems funny that Dwalin believes it, that’s all.” Then he grinned.

In all the years that Ori had known Kili, he had learned when a smile meant he was pleased, when a smile meant pure unadulterated joy, and when a smile meant trouble. And this smile promised nothing good for whomever Kili was intending on wreaking havoc on. He had a sinking suspicion that it was his husband who’d be on the receiving end of it, too.

Well, it was his own fault, really. Ori wasn’t helping Dwalin out of this one.

And it _was_ a little funny.

Kili looked to him in askance, as if willing Ori to give his permission. Ori sighed and hung his head. “I don’t want to know anything about it,” he muttered. “Don’t involve me. Dwalin needs someone to go to when he needs to lick his wounds.”

Kili snickered, and Ori realized just how that had sounded. “Not like _that_ ,” he snapped, his cheeks already bright red. “Don’t you have something else you could be doing?”

“Like telling Fili,” Kili said. “And yes, yes I do.” So it was that the very adult and mature Advisor to the King of Erebor darted away, hopping in his excitement to find his brother.

Ori knew how this was going to end. And Dwalin wasn’t going to give a damn if they were King and Advisor. He’d get them back for whatever prank they were crafting.

With one last sigh Ori stepped into Bag-End in search of its owners. The smial was cool and welcoming, a complete contrast to the brilliant but hot sun they’d been traveling under for a few days. They’d made good time on account of Thorin’s letter. Fili had been grateful for the excuse, stating that a great political event was happening in the Shire that demanded his attention, and that his uncle, the great and former King of Erebor, had insisted his presence was necessary. The dwarves had let them go with only a small amount of grumbling.

Fili could use a bit of amusement. And if it had to come at Dwalin’s expense, well, his husband was grown enough to take it. For the most part.

“Ori!”

Ori’s grin was unstoppable at the sound of his friend’s voice. He met Bilbo halfway across the hall and laughed as they embraced. He hadn’t known how much he himself would miss Bilbo until they’d parted, and the realization that his friend would remain here in the Shire had sunk in. Kili and Fili had been melancholy but trying their best to hide it, and even the elves had been low in spirits.

It was Bilbo who had brought them all together, after all, Bilbo who had unknowingly introduced Kili to Legolas, who had prompted Gimli to reach out to Tauriel, who had encouraged Ori to speak with Dwalin and Dwalin to speak with Ori. He had brought them together, hearts and friendships everywhere. And he’d kept them all connected. Losing Bilbo had been hard.

Losing Thorin, too, had been a keen loss. Ori didn’t realize how much they’d all come to rely on him to lead them until his deep voice had been missing at the meeting. Fili had cleared his throat awkwardly and then taken the reins well, but it was clear that he’d missed his uncle’s presence.

For now, however, they were here in the Shire and amongst dearly missed friends, and that, Ori thought, was the best remedy they could have asked for.

“How was the trip?” Bilbo asked when they’d parted. “Fair weather, decent roads?”

“Except for the rain that held us back a bit, but it didn’t take long,” Ori assured him. “We only missed a few days.”

“Good. Is everyone well?”

“What my husband means to ask is, ‘Did negotiations go well in Ered Luin?’” Thorin said, coming down the hall. Bilbo scowled at him. “You’d think he missed being in the politics.”

“Not a chance,” Bilbo said immediately, shuddering at the thought. “You can keep your politics. I have enough here with hobbits and kin. I don’t miss that. I _am_ , however, extremely concerned about my nephews, neither of whom I have seen yet.”

Ori glanced behind him just as Fili and Kili came in the front door. Neither one paid any attention to him, and with Bilbo mostly hidden behind Ori, the only person they had eyes for was Thorin. Thorin swiftly stepped around Ori and Bilbo, and his arms were already open.

It wasn’t the King of Erebor and his Advisor who fell into Thorin’s embrace, but two dwarves who’d never looked younger or more vulnerable than before. Ori moved to the side to let Bilbo through, and the hobbit was swallowed up almost instantly by Kili’s arms. They looked right, the four of them. A family reunited.

It made Ori itch for his pens and charcoal, to sketch the scene before it was gone.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and for a moment, he was taken back to seven years ago, when they’d come to free the Shire. Then he blinked and it was clear that it wasn’t Primula, for a variety of reasons. This hobbit was younger, but it was obvious who her mother was. She was peeking around the corner, watching the reunion just as Ori was.

Ori cleared his throat, catching her attention. “Elodie, right?” Ori asked. The young hobbit nodded. “We, um. We met several years ago-“

“Mister Ori?” she asked, and Ori smiled.

“That’s right. You do remember me then?”

“I remember everyone,” she said with a raised eyebrow. Still, her smile was a sweet one, and she came forward to say hello with a proper handshake. “I don’t remember them, though,” and she nodded towards Fili and Kili.

Bilbo stepped from the reunion pile and gestured for Elodie to join them. “You never met your cousins, not really – this is Fili and Kili, our nephews from Erebor. Fili’s the King of Erebor, now.”

Elodie glanced from Fili to Kili. “Then what are you?” she asked curiously of Kili.

“My general pain in the behind,” Fili said. Kili, halfway to speaking, scowled and elbowed him. Elodie’s lips turned up into a grin. Fili gave Elodie a quick bow, and Kili mimicked him. “We’re pleased to meet our cousin at long last.”

“I am, too,” she said. “You’re very tall, for dwarves.”

“Well, there’s a funny story there, actually…”

Then Bofur was there, and Esmeralda with him. Soon everyone was inside Bag-End, and it felt as it had almost twenty years ago, on their very first journey: laughter and reunions and there was going to be food tossed about in a bit, Ori just knew it. Dwalin and Bilbo greeted each other in a familial fashion, their forehead tapping making Bofur raise his eyebrows in surprise. Ori wasn’t surprised in the slightest: Bilbo was Dwalin’s brother, whether he was a hobbit or not.

“Well, we’re here, and ready for the weddin’!” Gimli said, and he rubbed his hands together. “Where’s it to be held?”

Bofur bit his lip, and Bilbo and Thorin winced in tandem. Ori glanced around the room and found hesitating realization everywhere. Still, Legolas made an effort to voice their thoughts. “It _is_ still being held, yes?”

“Not so much of it bein’ held as much as it _was_ held…about a week ago,” Bofur admitted. “Sorry.”

The room’s silence was all but immediately broken by the resulting ruckus, and Ori just leaned against a wall and sighed. He’d wondered about the rain setting them back.

 

“…couldn’t have waited?”

“We did wait! We waited until we couldn’t wait anymore! We postponed it by two days! Other people needed the party tents, too. Gandalf’s still in town, if you’d like to see him-”

“Never mind Gandalf, I was hoping to see you two wed!”

“Give me a break, lad, you just wanted the feast.”

Fili just stirred his tea, not looking anywhere close to as upset as Kili currently sounded. Bilbo raised an eyebrow at his nephew. “You don’t look particularly glum,” he asked. “And I doubt it’s because of the wedding.”

They’d managed to get themselves into the kitchen, and the long table had been well put to use. Thankfully, the pantry had still been well stocked, and that had decided _that_. Elodie, Frodo, Merry, and little Samwise Gamgee had all gone running off to join the other children – though Dwalin had given Frodo an odd look that Bilbo hadn’t understood – which had only left two elves and several dwarves to feed. Most of them had begun badgering Bofur and Esmeralda about taking away all the fun.

Fili just shrugged. He looked calmer than he had when he’d all but clung to Thorin and Bilbo earlier. Now he looked like the dwarf that Bilbo knew so well. Kili, too, was starting to relax. They all were, and it made Bilbo almost regret asking his next question.

“How bad was it, in the Blue Mountains?”

Fili sighed and set the spoon down on the saucer. “Not too bad,” he admitted. “Just…hard. They kept expecting me to be Uncle Thorin and, and I’m not. And I felt like a child trying to step into a grown dwarf’s boots. It was a mess.”

“Fili did well,” Legolas said, taking a seat beside Fili. Fili made a face. “My dwarf brother may say that he failed, but I can assure you that he did not. They were pleased with what he had to say and took to heart his intentions for the trade route. Valdr and Nadr are still there, and it is because of Fili's work that they can continue to push the route forward. They even listened to myself and Tauriel regarding how best to approach the Greenwood.”

Bilbo blinked at that. “They actually listened to you? Both of you?” He’d half expected to hear that Legolas and Tauriel had been pushed out of the Blue Mountains. He hadn’t expected the dwarves there to _listen_ to them.

Thorin seemed equally surprised. “So the meeting went…”

“Well,” Fili finally agreed. “It did. I just…wish it had been you and not me. You would’ve handled it even better-“

“Fili, there is no one else I would trust more than you,” Thorin said. He reached over the table and settled his hand on Fili’s arm. Bilbo watched his nephew crumple just a little under the sheer support he obviously didn’t know how to handle at the moment. It was a great deal like watching Fili from their first journey to Erebor, determined to do his best but not quite certain he was fulfilling that. Bilbo felt his heart wrench for the worried dwarf in front of him who looked so _lost_ , and he didn’t have the slightest clue how to help. He was halfway across the table to Fili when the front door flew open, immediately catching everyone’s attention. Merry slid into the room and came to a brief halt, and his face said it all.

“Again?” Esmeralda asked. Merry just nodded, and he cringed when he looked at Bilbo. Oh good, this one involved an injury.

“Again what?” Dwalin asked.

“Elodie,” Bilbo and Thorin said in tandem, and they rose from the table and headed out into the front hall. The company followed right behind them, their curiosity almost an audible thing.

It certainly became audible when they rounded the corner and found three young hobbits covered in mud and dripping in the hall. Sam stood, looking no worse for the wear than a dirty shirt and mud in his hair and a frown on his face. Frodo, thankfully, was tucked behind everyone, and Bilbo couldn’t see a single hair out of place. Even Merry didn’t seem too bad off, no dirtier than he usually was after playing outside.

No one, however, was more covered or filthy than Elodie was.

“Oh, Elodie,” Bilbo murmured as he knelt in front of his niece. Her hair was everywhere and was more matted than he’d ever seen it before. There was a touch of blood beneath her nose, as if she’d been struck or had knocked into something. Her entire dress was soaked and covered in mud, and her feet were dirtier still. She wore a mulish look on her face, not a hint of remorse anywhere about her. Not that Bilbo had expected any; there hadn’t been any yet.

Dwalin growled at the sight of her. “Lass, you tell me who, and I’ll take care of it,” he promised, and Elodie’s eyes lit up a little at the suggestion.

“Oh no,” Bilbo said, waving Dwalin off. “No, there will be no ‘taking care of it’ thank you _very_ much.” He paused and his voice softened. “Did you apologize?” he had to ask.

“Apologize?” Gimli exclaimed, even while the others sputtered. “She’s bleedin’ and you ask if _she_ apologized?”

Thorin huffed behind Bilbo. “Because as terrible as she looks, believe me when I say that the other half to this party looks _much_ worse.”

That brought all conversations to a halt. Elodie’s cheeks went a little red. Time to get to the bottom of it. “What happened?” Bilbo asked quietly.

Sam jumped in before Elodie could. “They said terrible things, Mister Bilbo! They said that Frodo was really an _orc_! It’s not right just ‘cause he’s…you know!”

“That’s when Elodie pushed him,” Merry said enthusiastically, throwing his voice over Sam’s awkward stumbling. “It was _amazing_!”

Esmeralda pinned her son with a stern look, and Merry coughed and suddenly found something else to look at. Bilbo moved his own gaze back to Elodie, who was staring at the ground. “What happened, Elodie?” he asked again.

Elodie bit her lip but still didn’t look particularly sorry. “I punched Gerd Proudfoot,” she said. “After he called Frodo an orcling.”

Slowly Bilbo raised his eyebrow, waiting. Elodie went a little red. “Then I kicked him,” she admitted. Bilbo waited some more, and Elodie finally sighed. “And then I bit him.”

Dwalin looked far too pleased at this turn of events, much to Bilbo’s chagrin. “Elodie,” Thorin moaned, and Elodie crossed her arms.

“He called Frodo an _orcling_. That’s not right!”

“I know,” Bilbo soothed. She took deep breaths to calm herself, and Bilbo ran his hands up and down her arms. “I know. They just…don’t know what to say. It doesn’t make it right, but that’s why they act the way they do.” Death did not come to the Shire as tragically as Primula and Drogo’s deaths, not often, and now that the mourning period was past, children were going to act the way they sometimes would: taunting in order to avoid thinking about losing one’s parents.

Bilbo knew that well. His father’s death had brought his own round of teasing until he’d finally started pushing back. Then they’d left him alone and things had gotten better. He’d been old enough, when his mother had died, that his peers had understood death and had not feared it as a child would. There had been sympathy, though, and Bilbo thought he would’ve preferred the badgering. That had been easier to stand.

Elodie didn’t say anything in response to that, but she finally gave a begrudging nod. Then she glanced at Bilbo, and fear entered her eyes for the first time since she’d come back inside. “I don’t have to apologize, do I?”

“No,” Bilbo said. “I’ll speak with Mrs. Proudfoot and write it off as an equal offense.” He’d be having _quite_ a few words with her regarding Gerd. And it wouldn’t just be about ‘orcling’ comments. Elodie hadn’t mentioned her own muddy and partially bloody state as an offense, but Bilbo saw it as such, especially since her face was all but covered in it. That didn’t come from being merely shoved, but rather spoke of several pushes. Given the state of Sam and Merry, there’d obviously been more hobbits than just Gerd there, and he had plans to bribe the names out of the boys with his biscuits.

No one hurt Elodie or Frodo. No one.

“Let’s get you washed up, shall we?” Bilbo said, and he wrapped his arm around Elodie, mud and all. “I think after that we could all do with some chocolate. Personally, I prefer mine in the form of chocolate chip cookies.”

“Ooh, so do I!” Merry said, all but hopping in place as he followed them down the hall. Sam trailed after, his hand wrapped tightly in Frodo’s. His other hand was in Elodie’s dress, firmly holding on since her hands were still defensively tucked around her with crossed arms. She had relaxed somewhat, however, leaning into Bilbo’s embrace.

He’d leave the explanations to Bofur, Esmeralda, and Thorin. Right now, he had three messy hobbits and one who he’d rather keep in his sight, despite Frodo’s clean state.

“Cookies, Frodo?” Bilbo asked, holding open the door to the washroom. Frodo stopped in front of him, and his smile was warm.

“Cookies,” he agreed. He paused, then glanced at Bilbo uncertainly. “M’not an orc,” he said, but it came out half as a question.

And that wouldn’t do. “You’re the most hobbity hobbit I’ve ever known,” he said, and he leaned over Frodo to press a kiss to his curls. Frodo grinned, the vile word already forgotten, and trotted happily into the washroom after everyone else.

Bilbo only wished it would be that easy for Elodie. Given the past month’s events, he highly doubted it.

 

“Talk,” Dwalin said immediately as soon as Bilbo had closed the washroom behind all the filthy children. “What’s goin’ on?”

“She’s mournin’,” Bofur said quietly. “That’s all.”

Dwalin glanced to Thorin for confirmation, and Thorin sighed. Elodie had been…hard. She’d clung to Thorin and Bilbo both for around a week after they’d arrived, quiet but eager, and then she’d finally been convinced that they weren’t leaving anytime soon. That was when the problems had started.

Well. According to Bofur and Esmeralda, when the problems had _continued_.

“Elodie has been involved in several fights lately with hobbit children around the Shire,” Thorin said. ‘Children’ was a loose term, as Elodie was seventeen years herself. But they were certainly her peers. “It’s been going on for some time now, ever since Primula and Drogo drowned.”

Tauriel frowned. “Does she instigate them?”

“We have reason to believe that she has a few times,” Thorin admitted. “Lately, she has not, she has merely retaliated.”

“And how many of these ‘retaliations’ were on account of something she had said already?” Ori asked. “Nori liked to tell Dori that he started nothing but merely ‘retaliated first’.”

Bofur snorted while Thorin rolled his eyes. Yes, that did sound a great deal like the dwarf. Nori must’ve been _quite_ interesting to raise. And Thorin had thought raising Fili, Kili, and now Elodie was difficult. Frodo was easy in comparison.

Ori made a face. “Dori didn’t appreciate the logistics. I imagine you don’t, either.”

“What can we do?” Fili asked immediately, and Thorin’s lips turned up. And Fili doubted his natural drive to lead, to ability to aid a people. He could not have found a better dwarf to take his place. Fili would lead Erebor well.

He might not exactly be able to help a young hobbit still trying to combat grief, though. No, that would have to happen in time and time alone.

“If I can think of anything, I will tell you,” Thorin said. “For now, we can only hope that time will help aid her.” And Bilbo. Bilbo had mentioned a similar experience when his father had passed on. Perhaps his husband would be able to help with Elodie. Thorin felt helpless, his own words worthless in the face of Elodie’s pain. The only thing he could do was offer her his comfort, and he felt that it was nowhere close to enough.

Dwalin hummed in consideration. “I’ll give her somethin’ to do, if you want. Teach her how to defend herself in a fight, keep her busy. Real fightin’, none of this shovin’ stuff.”

Thorin wasn’t quite certain how Bilbo would take it, but as his husband wasn’t there at the moment... “If you wouldn’t mind,” he said, and Gimli chuckled.

“We’d not mind at all. Certain that Legolas and Tauriel could help, too.”

“And I could watch,” Kili said. When Legolas aimed a raised eyebrow at his husband, Kili just shrugged. “It’s my holiday, and I don’t want to spend it shooting arrows.”

“Especially when Legolas and I will show you up,” Tauriel said, a small grin on her face. Esmeralda wrapped an arm around Tauriel and beamed up at her, and Tauriel immediately returned both the grasp and the smile.

Kili huffed. “I could take you, and Legolas would let me win.”

“I _would_?” Legolas asked, pretending to sound aghast, and Kili elbowed him, scowling good-naturedly as Legolas chuckled.

Their cheer was enough to lift the spirits in the room once more, and Thorin felt his lips twitching up in amusement. Their intention, he was sure of it, but given the situation, he would let them have their win and his smile. It was hard, to think of Primula and Drogo and their bright faces that were now gone forever. They had only been friends for most of them, but they had been kin to Bilbo, and parents to two young hobbits now left behind.

It was not blame that Thorin put on Elodie’s shoulders for how she was acting. It just burned that he could not help her.

He nudged the group back into the dining room and glanced once more at the washroom. Bilbo would ask for his help if he needed it, he finally decided, and followed the others.

 

“That _dwarf_!”

Bilbo raised his head from his tea cup and found Esmeralda storming into Bag-End. “Which dwarf?” he asked hesitantly. “There’s quite a few here, at the moment.”

Everyone seemed to be outside, at the moment. Apparently after Elodie had returned yesterday with her bloody nose and muddy _everything,_ Dwalin and Thorin had agreed that Elodie should have real fighting lessons. Dwalin was tutoring Elodie on defense (and probably offense, knowing him) and the others were ‘helping’. Kili, Bilbo knew, was leaning against the tree in the yard, Legolas wrapped around him, and he knew it because he’d checked on them not a few minutes ago. Somehow, he’d missed seeing Esmeralda come up the walk.

“Dwalin!” she said. “He told Merry to join them without so much as a by-your-leave, and now Merry’s holding what is probably a _very_ real blade.”

Bilbo winced. Merry was seven years, and that was all. “I’ll tell him to give Merry a stick-“

“Merry’s smart enough to hold himself,” Esmeralda said, frowning at him. “But he didn’t even invite _me_ to join them. The nerve.”

…Right. Because that was the bigger issue here. Sometimes, his cousin confused him so greatly that he couldn’t even keep his own thoughts straight. “Yes, well,” he said, and then he cleared his throat and went back to his tea. “How did they all seem?”

“Happy and content,” Esmeralda said, taking the seat opposite from Bilbo. “And that’s the only reason I didn’t disturb them. It’s good to see Elodie smiling, though I didn’t see Frodo.”

“Playing with Sam in here,” Bilbo said. “Five is _certainly_ too young to be tussling like they are.” And Frodo wouldn’t hold anything beyond a dinner knife until he was at least twenty, thank you _very_ much. And it seemed that, for once, Dwalin agreed with him, because the dwarf hadn’t so much as looked at Frodo since they’d arrived. Well, except for the odd looks that Bilbo still didn’t understand. In fact, it was very not like Dwalin to ignore a little one.

“Esmeralda, has Dwalin mentioned anything about Frodo to you?” he asked on a whim. The front door opened and shut, but he was more focused on his cousin to pay it any attention.

“No,” she said, and then she frowned again. “Why? What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Just that Dwalin seems a bit reserved about him, and that’s not like my dwarf brother.”

“We know why.”

Bilbo glanced in the doorway and found Fili and Kili both standing there, identical grins on their faces. As happy as he was to see his nephews no longer worrying over the Blue Mountains, it didn’t leave him incredibly enthused to see them grinning like they had a secret. That never ended well for _anyone_.

“Oh, relax, Uncle Bilbo,” Kili continued. “You’re going to think it’s hilarious. Believe me.”

Bilbo highly doubted that. “Then what is it?”

The two brothers glanced at each other, then turned to him. “Funny story, actually…”

 

When Thorin came wandering into Bag-End, leaving the others behind outside, he hadn’t expected to hear the sound of Bilbo sobbing. He wished he didn’t know that particular sound well enough to identify it in an instant, but he did and it left his heart twisting in his chest. For Bilbo to be that upset, something must have happened, something terrible. Something so tragic that Thorin’s racing mind couldn’t even comprehend. He ran into the dining room…and then stopped.

Fili and Kili were both laughing so hard that they were silent, and Esmeralda was trying to breathe between her wheezing chortles. Bilbo was wiping tears from his eyes, but when he glanced up at Thorin, his smile was blinding. He wasn’t sobbing, he was _laughing_.

Thorin stood there, completely bewildered and not quite certain what to do. “You have to hear this,” Bilbo managed to gasp out. “Thorin, you _have_ to.”

“Do I?” he said, but he finally wandered further in. Bilbo’s laughs were dying away as he tried to steady his breathing, and his nephews looked like trouble. So did Esmeralda, unfortunately.

“What?” he asked warily.

Kili beamed at him. “Dwalin thinks Frodo’s yours,” he said without preamble.

Thorin frowned. “He is,” he said, and then startled when everyone went off into peals of laughter again. He stood and blinked, absolutely as confused as he could be, until they’d settled down. “I fail to see how that’s an amusing point,” he said.

“No, no, you don’t understand,” Fili said, hiccupping a little. “Dwalin thinks he’s _yours_. As in, from _your_ blood.”

Thorin blinked. Then he turned to Bilbo, who was still chuckling. “What?”

“Dwalin apparently took one look at Frodo and believes that Frodo is the product of you and me,” Bilbo said, sounding nearly _giddy_. “And I have to say that it’s almost believable, with his big blue eyes and dark hair.”

“It’s _hysterical_ is what it is,” Esmeralda giggled. “Oh Eru, that’s the best thing I’ve heard in weeks. I can’t wait to tell Bofur.”

“You can’t!” Kili said, appalled. “He’ll tell Dwalin! And that would ruin everything!”

“Ruin what?” Bilbo asked.

“Our prank,” Fili said, and Thorin wanted to roll his eyes. Of course it was a prank his nephews had in mind. He doubted there would come a time when they _weren’t_ considering a prank.

Bilbo crossed his arms. “And what exactly are you two planning to do?”

Both Fili and Kili sort of paused. “Well,” Kili began, and then stopped.

“We. Um.”

“Well, we were thinking of…”

“Something.”

“Yes! Something funny.”

“Something we could really shock him with.”

“That would be funny.”

“Yes.”

“It sounds hysterical,” Thorin deadpanned and earned a snort from his husband for his efforts. “I do not honestly see how you could make Dwalin believe that Frodo is our child.”

Esmeralda’s eyes went a little wide, and Mahal, she had a wicked grin on her, too. “No, but you could play with his head a bit,” she said. “Make him believe it for _just_ a little bit.”

“And how would we do that?” Bilbo asked incredulously.

With a sly grin she leaned forward and across the table. “Remember the story about the Old Took and the fae?” she asked.

“What story?” Kili asked. “Why haven’t we heard it?”

Thorin glanced at his husband and found Bilbo starting to laugh again. “That’s a _tale_ , Esse, and an honest fairy-tale on top of it. It’s not true.”

“What story?” Fili demanded, and Esmeralda finally acquiesced.

“It was rumored that the reason Tooks are more adventurous and…well, _different_ than other hobbits is because, a very long time ago, a Took met with a fairy and fell madly in love with her, and they were married. So the rumor is that we have fae blood in us and that we have magic powers.”

“Like…bearing little ones?” Fili hazarded. His eyes were bright and filled with so much glee that Thorin hated to break his enjoyment. It _was_ funny.

He glanced at Bilbo and found his husband watching him. _Well?_ Bilbo asked him silently with his gaze.

Thorin slowly began to smile, and Bilbo chuckled. “Yes, something like that,” he said. “We were gone an awfully long time a few years ago, here in the Shire, weren’t we?”

It was everything Thorin could do to not laugh at the obvious delight Bilbo was taking in the scheming. And, honestly, a part of him reveled in the thought of pulling one on Dwalin. Frerin would have jumped in without hesitation. He’d done it a great many times, and Thorin remembered now how often they’d pranked Dwalin as young dwarves. Never Balin – that had never been a wise idea. But Dwalin? Dwalin had been a pleasure to prank.

It was with fond memories of his brother that Thorin turned to his nephews, who were near to bursting with glee. “Subtly,” he warned. “Dwalin will see anything else coming. I learned that very early on.”

“You _learned_ that?” Fili said, grinning. “Oh now those are tales worth telling.”

“But we can?” Kili asked. “We have your permission?”

“Permission to do what?” Elodie asked, coming into the room from outside. She looked sweaty and tired but curious.

“We’re going to play a prank on Dwalin,” Fili said. “Care to help us?”

One could have lit up an entire room with the brightness of her smile. “Can I?”

“I said subtly,” Thorin said, giving his nephews a look. Getting too many people involved and changing their attitudes was going to warn Dwalin off. “This is not subtle.”

Bilbo tapped his chin, however, deep in thought. “Here, Ellie,” he said, beckoning her over. She came willingly, still bright-eyed and eager. “What I need you to do is exactly what you’ve been doing: love and adore Frodo with everything you’ve got. And anyone who mentions Frodo not being anything except your brother, give them your best scowl. Let me see it now.”

Elodie let loose her fiercest scowl on Bilbo, and Thorin had to admit, it was a frightening thing. “Excellent,” Bilbo praised. “That would send the burliest orc running for the hills. Can you do that for me?”

“Easy,” she said. Then she frowned. “That doesn’t seem much like a prank, Uncle Bilbo.”

“Well, it won’t take much, that’s why. Because Dwalin believes something very silly, and we want to encourage his believing it, that’s all.”

Elodie paused, then glanced up at Thorin. “Does this have anything to do with Mister Dwalin thinking that Frodo’s a dwarf and a hobbit at the same time?”

Kili burst out laughing, and Fili pounded the back of the nearest chair as he snickered. Esmeralda had her head thrown back as she howled, and Thorin shouldn’t have been surprised that Elodie had heard it somewhere. Hobbits were quiet when they wanted to be, and Elodie often heard things she wasn’t supposed to, given her dainty size that made her look younger than she really was.

She smirked in triumph, and Bilbo couldn’t quite hold back a few chuckles before he caught hold of himself. “Yes, it is,” he said. “Can you do what I asked you to?”

“Yes,” she said. “Though that’s rather odd to think. Just because Frodo has blue eyes like Uncle Thorin doesn’t mean he’s Uncle Thorin’s – lots of people have blue eyes.”

“Which is why we’re going to tease Mister Dwalin for being as silly as he’s being. Speaking of which, where are they?”

“Outside. Merry was wrestling with Mister Dwalin, and it was a fair and even fight until Lotho came over. Now it’s not so even.”

“Oh?” Thorin asked.

“No. Now Mister Dwalin’s losing. And badly. Mister Ori’s helping the boys.”

Of course he was. “Should I go rescue him?” Thorin asked, and Bilbo gave him a blinding grin. Healthy and whole and so _happy_ that Thorin felt as if his heart would take flight. He bent down, unable to help himself, and sealed his lips over Bilbo’s. Just for one moment, just one. Warm lips were almost impossible to pull away from, but he forced himself to. Bilbo’s cheeks were a light red and his smile was that shy smile he saved only for Thorin. It made him want to kiss him again.

“No more kissing, _please_ ,” Elodie groaned, showing her age, and Thorin rolled his eyes. Bilbo’s grin split his face as he started laughing.

Right, time to rescue Dwalin. “Subtly,” Thorin warned his nephews again as he left in search of his cousin.

From the grins on their faces, he wasn’t so certain that his message was being taken seriously.

 


	2. The path cleared

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments and kudos and bookmarks give me life amongst my stressy life. Thank you all oodles.
> 
> I feel like I can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I have maybe...four stories left in the main series that are needed to finish the 'verse? There might be tinier stories dotting here and there, and of course, there are more letters to come. But yeah, really close now!
> 
> Also, I can't seem to stop eating peanut M&Ms. Someone stop me.
> 
> Edit because: LOOK AT THIS ART OF CAILA. http://kurosmind.tumblr.com/post/84712509126/
> 
> It is the most loveliest of things and asdfioemsf I have feels. She is gorgeous. Absolutely stunning. Thank you SO MUCH!!

It was disconcerting, that’s what it was. Because in no way, shape, or form, was it actually even a remote possibility. It just _couldn’t_ be. He was being daft and rock-headed, the way Mahal had made all dwarves.

But damned if Frodo Baggins didn’t look _exactly_ like Thorin had as a child, except with peculiar hobbit features.

So far, no one else had said anything about it. Ori had just shaken his head at him when he’d explained himself and hadn’t said a word. Apparently it wasn’t a noticeable thing to anyone else, just Dwalin. Which made sense: no one else had known Thorin as a child. Only Dwalin and Balin had. Balin would have understood, too. He just knew it.

Probably wouldn’t go so far as to believe that Frodo Baggins was the offspring of two very male individuals, but Dwalin’s nut had always been cracked harder than anyone else’s. And it was so _obvious_.

Sitting in the dining room, watching Frodo play with Hamfast’s youngest, he didn’t look out of sorts. He looked like any normal little hobbit child, content to play with the blocks that looked sturdy and well played with. Probably had been Elodie’s at some point.

Elodie, now Elodie was obviously Primula and Drogo’s child. Dark hair that only carried a wisp of a curl to it, bright eyes that looked a bit green in the light. She grinned like an imp and that was Primula, too, but she could stand her ground as firmly as Drogo had, so many years ago. That Baggins determination was obvious to see. And one could easily see how Primula and Frodo were siblings, yet were different enough to be from potentially different parents.

It was just…he was being ridiculous. That was all.

Bilbo glanced up at the knocking on the door, and he jumped up to answer it while Thorin stayed, his eyes on Frodo and Samwise. They made for the cutest little bugs, Dwalin had to admit, and he smiled as he watched Thorin’s face go soft at the sight of them. Pushover.

“She did _not_!”

Bilbo’s sharp voice immediately caught the attention of everyone inside, and Dwalin raced to the door, only second in line after Thorin.

A very red faced hobbit stood there, her face pinched. She was glaring down at the hobbit that she had a hand on, and immediately Dwalin could see Elodie’s angry eyes beneath her hair that was hanging about her face.

“I’m telling you that’s what she did,” the woman said, not even paying anyone else except Bilbo the slightest bit of attention. “She struck my poor darling down-“

“Then your ‘poor darling’ said something that started it,” Bilbo snapped, and the woman’s lips got even further pinched. “Unhand my niece _now_.”

She did, but it was with clear hesitation. “She nearly took his head off with her…whatever she did!” the woman cried. Elodie glanced up at that and found Dwalin’s eyes. Must’ve been the swinging arm trick he’d shown her. Well, he couldn’t have just taught her defensive moves. She was living with Bilbo and Thorin now, and trouble followed the two of them like no one else. She _needed_ offensive moves. He just…hadn’t expected her to apply them so soon.

Quick study, though. He’d only showed her that move twice yesterday. If only he could convince some of the hobbits to go east to Erebor with him…

“Mrs. Proudfeet-“

“Proud _foot_!” the woman snapped at Thorin. Thorin took a breath that only made him stand taller, and the woman faltered for the first time since she’d knocked on the door.

“I can assure you that Elodie would not have reacted in the manner that she did had something not been said.”

“You’re blaming my Gerd for this?” Mrs. Proudfoot said, appalled, and that was apparently the last straw for Bilbo.

“Yes, yes we are. In fact, I am cordially _disinviting_ Gerd from any future events hosted by us until he can keep a civil tongue in his head. Death is not something easy to deal with, and the time for his childish behavior has well come and gone. If you cannot rein him in, then I give Elodie full rights to settle her score with him as she sees fit. Perhaps then your son will learn to not say vile things about other children. Am I making myself clear?”

Mrs. Proudfoot looked ready to burst. Elodie was gazing up at Bilbo with wide eyes and no small amount of admiration. Thorin’s face was blank and steady, but Dwalin knew his cousin better than that, and he could guarantee that Thorin was far more appreciative of his husband than he was letting on. _Dwalin_ was certainly proud of his hobbit brother.

With a snort of fury Mrs. Proudfoot took off and left them standing there in the doorway. Bilbo glared after her until she was gone, well down the lane. Only then did he carefully bring Elodie inside.

Elodie followed his movements as he knelt in front of her. “Don’t you want to know what Gerd said?” she asked him at last.

“No,” Bilbo said. “If you reacted dishonestly, I expect you to apologize to him for it. But you made a promise to me that you wouldn’t do that, which means you had full rights to do…whatever you did.”

“He said that maybe Mother and Father hadn’t really drowned, that maybe they’d just left since I was so mean.”

Dwalin started for the door, only for Thorin to catch him and hold him back. “No,” he warned, but there was a rage in Thorin’s eyes, too. “Don’t.”

“Give me a reason,” Dwalin growled. “Just one.”

“Because Mrs. Proudfoot is probably going home right this moment to give Gerd a what-for,” Bilbo said. “As furious as she seemed here at our doorstep, she’ll be more furious with her own son. Gerd will come by in a few days to apologize, you see if he doesn’t. Then the matter will be considered forgotten about.”

“Until the next time it happens,” Ori said darkly. “Bullies don’t let up that easily.”

“Yes, but now he knows that Elodie can and will defend herself. He’ll think twice, believe me.”

That was certainly true. Bullies only picked on those weaker than them, those that didn’t fight back. Ori made a face but said nothing. “Want to borrow my warhammer?” Dwalin asked his husband, and he got a slow building grin for it.

“Not today. Maybe later.”

It was only then that Dwalin realized that Elodie hadn’t spoken again. Bilbo, too, seemed to have noticed, for he gently brushed some of her hair from her face. “It’s all right,” he said softly. “It’ll be all right, Elodie.”

“No it won’t,” she burst out. “They keep saying things, horrible things about me and about Frodo and they don’t understand!” She quickly brushed her tangled hair from her face and moved over to where Frodo was. She pressed a firm kiss to the top of his head, making the little one beam up at her. Then she left the room, and a moment later, the sound of her own door clicking shut was heard.

Bilbo let out a long and tired sigh. He looked older when he did that. Dwalin didn’t like it. “Nothin’ you can do,” he said.

“I know,” Bilbo said quietly. “I just…I don’t know what to do for her.”

“Was it this bad when it was you, after your father died?” Tauriel asked.

Bilbo bit his lip, and that was the more telling answer. A flash of helpless rage went across Thorin’s face, and Dwalin felt his own fists clench just a little bit more. Fear made people do foolish things, especially with children who didn’t understand, but the thought of his brother grieving the loss of his father and coming home just as bloody as Elodie did…no, it didn’t sit well with him. Not with Thorin, either, from the looks of it.

“You turned out well,” Kili joked, and Bilbo gave his nephew a mock-scowl.

Thorin wrapped his arm around his husband’s shoulder and moved him towards the hallway. “We’ll speak with her, you’ll feel better, and perhaps we can give her some peace, too,” he said.

Bilbo only nodded and let Thorin lead him along. Frodo began to rise from his place on the floor, but Kili settled in beside him, immediately distracting him. “Come on, I’ll show you how to build Erebor,” he said, and Samwise and Frodo were captivated. Legolas, too, seemed captivated by the building that Kili was making, but Dwalin knew that had more to do with the builder than the building.

Movement to his left made him glance up, only to find Esmeralda leaning against the wall beside him. “Elodie’s going to get herself in right trouble,” she said quietly. “I’m glad you taught her how to defend herself. And then some.”

“Worked on another hobbit lass I knew,” Dwalin said. Esmeralda grinned.

“It did. You may need to teach Frodo, when the time comes. I’m certain he’ll be a quick study. It’s in his blood. Baggins blood,” she said quickly, and it wouldn’t have been odd except.

Except.

“Bilbo’s got that Baggins blood too; it’s gotten him into all sorts of trouble,” Dwalin said. More trouble than anyone else Dwalin knew, and he knew the Line of Durin personally.

“Like I said, Frodo’s doomed,” Esmeralda said with a shrug and a wink. “At least you’ll be on hand to help, right?”

Dwalin paused, then took a deep breath. “Right.” He couldn’t believe he was about to ask what he was going to ask. He actually couldn’t honestly believe it. But Esmeralda’s comment was just too odd to ignore. “Esmeralda-“

“Took blood, too,” Esmeralda said quietly, as if imparting some great secret. “Well, that’s how he got here, isn’t it? Never trust blood that came from the fae.”

Dwalin stared at her. “Fae blood…? What are you on about?”

Esmeralda bit her lip. “Out with it,” he growled.

He got an eye roll for that. “It’s just…what others consider a fairy-tale, some others know to be true.” When he only glared at her, she hastened to continue. “Took blood has fae blood in it. The oldest Took met and married a fairy. It just makes extraordinary things happen sometimes.” She glanced at Frodo with a fond grin. “And I’m glad that they did.”

Slowly Dwalin turned back to Frodo. Happy little Frodo with his crystal blue eyes and his dark hair and his little hobbit ears and-

“I’m gettin’ a drink,” he muttered, heading into the kitchen. He completely missed the wink that Esmeralda shot Fili and Kili’s way, making them grin and utterly confusing everyone else except for Ori, who only buried his face in his hands.

Feet pounded down the hallway, making him stop. All grins immediately disappeared at the frantic look on Bilbo’s face. “She’s gone,” he said, gasping for air. “Elodie’s gone. The window’s open and she’s just-“

“We’ll find her,” Legolas said without hesitation. Gimli was already on his feet, and Tauriel was right beside him. “She could not have gone far.”

That didn’t mean Bilbo wasn’t going to fret and wring his hands together. “Split up,” Dwalin ordered, because if Thorin wasn’t there, that meant Thorin had hurried out the window to try and find her himself. “Get lanterns, it’s gettin’ dark.”

Everyone flew into action, Kili abandoning his appointed post as Erebor builder in order to follow Legolas and Fili out of Bag-End. Ori did go for Dwalin’s warhammer now, and Dwalin gave him a brief kiss for it. Even in the Shire, it was never a bad thing to go prepared.

Bilbo stayed beside Frodo and Samwise, and it seemed that Samwise was inching closer to Frodo to better block him from what was going on. Little protector, that one was. Then Dwalin glanced up at his brother’s face and found a horrible amount of fear there. That wouldn’t do.

“She’ll be all right,” Dwalin promised, stepping over to him briefly. “I swear to you.”

Bilbo gave a quick nod and tried to breathe. “I know. I just…”

Elodie getting into fights was one thing. Elodie taking off because she was angry or hurt or upset was another. “I’ll find her,” Dwalin swore. “Then you can fuss over her all you want.”

Bilbo finally cracked a small grin. Good enough for Dwalin. He gave his hobbit brother a quick forehead tap, then hurried off after the others. Somewhere out there, under the darkening skies of evening, was a very upset little hobbit, one whom he intended to find and console before unleashing Bilbo and all his worry on her. Worse than Bilbo being angry, honestly.

Determined, he left Bag-End and soon disappeared into the night.

 

The sun had completely gone down, and still no one had given the call that they’d found Elodie. She probably knew the hills of the Shire better than anyone else, save for Bilbo, but Bilbo didn’t know every nook and cranny where she could hide when frightened and upset. She could be anywhere, really.

Fili scanned the area, his eyes allowing him to see further into the dark. It was easier for a dwarf to see at night, but that only helped so much. And if he was looking in the wrong place to begin with-

Frustrated, he spun around and turned back for Bag-End. Maybe he could ask Bilbo where her favorite places were. A mass search in every area usually worked, but she was bound to have found her hiding spot and wouldn’t run past it. It was just a matter of finding it, that was all. And Bilbo would probably know where those places were.

He rounded the corner to Bag-End, glanced up out of habit, and then just…stopped. Slowly he took a step forward, then another, and, when she still didn’t look at him, he carefully hopped the fence and moved around to the side of Bag-End.

She hadn’t taken a straight shot out of the window, like Thorin had obviously thought she had. No, she’d run around the house a bit, then had climbed up onto the top, where she sat, curled up with her knees to her nose and her arms wrapped around her legs, perched above one of the windows. Her head was tucked down, but her eyes were still visible, gazing off into the distance.

She didn’t appear hurt. On the outside, at least. No, she’d just climbed up and probably watched everyone scatter out to find her and hadn’t said a word. She’d just wanted to be left alone. Fili could relate to that.

He quickly found her ladder of sorts – a trellis hiding behind a huge swath of vines – and pulled himself up beside her. “Do you mind company?” he asked softly.

A paused moment, and then she shook her head. “Nice view up here,” he said, still pitching his voice low. No one from inside would hear him, and from this corner of the house, no one would have heard the scrambling up the trellis or the soft sounds from the roof. A perfect hiding spot.

She didn’t say anything, and he let her be. From here, it really was a nice vantage point: he could see down into town, could see the night sky well above them, could make out the fields and the tips of trees. He doubted she’d come up for the scenic view, though.

What words could he possibly offer her to make her feel better? What could he possibly say that would make any of this right?

For the second time in a month, Fili found himself tongue-tied. First in the Blue Mountains, and now here. Thorin would know what to do, he knew it. Thorin the King would have known. What could Fili possibly say that would make a difference?

She sniffled, just a little, and his instincts as a father had him reaching to pull her in beside him. “It’ll be all right,” he said, and he wished Dernwyn was here. She could handle it better than he could, too. Elodie needed a mother right now, not a dwarf who was trying to be a king.

“No it won’t,” she whispered. “Mother and Father are gone. They won’t stop picking on me and Frodo. Everyone I love goes away.”

Fili felt his heart break a little more. “Elodie,” he said softly. He waited until she’d turned to glance at him before continuing. “Elodie, your uncles aren’t going anywhere. They’re going to stay until you’re all grown up and have a home of your own.”

“What if they drown?” she asked miserably. “What if they drown and I can’t help?”

“Then it wouldn’t be your fault either way,” he found himself saying, and Elodie stiffened, just a little. Fili sighed. “You do know that what happened wasn’t your fault, don’t you?”

“I know,” she whispered dutifully, as if it was the answer expected of her so that was the one she would give.

“Good. Because it took me a lot longer than you to realize it wasn’t my fault.”

She frowned at him. “You? What do you mean?”

Fili took a breath and let it out in a heavy gust of air. “I lost my father, too. I was probably a little younger than you were, but not as young as Frodo. He died when the mine collapsed. They dug and dug and couldn’t get him out. Kili doesn’t remember but I do.”

Elodie was watching him now, all her attention on him. Fili swallowed through the knot in his throat but kept going. “I remember thinking for a very long time that if I’d only gone to help, if only I’d done something different, then he wouldn’t have died that day. I thought it was my fault.”

“Mother asked if I would be all right if they went boating,” Elodie whispered. “I told her yes.”

Primula most certainly hadn’t meant her words to mean anything more than checking Elodie’s comfort level with Frodo, but from Elodie’s point of view, it had to weigh like a horrible burden. “That doesn’t mean it was your fault,” Fili said quietly. He wondered if Elodie had told Thorin or Bilbo this much. “Your mother and father were very much grown-ups and they could make their own choices. Like you’re almost grown and can make your own choices, too. Some choices are better than others…like fighting with Gerd Proudfoot.” Seemed his fatherly side couldn’t help itself.

Elodie ducked her head a little. “I just want him to stop,” she said. She fidgeted her feet about until she’d found a comfortable place for them again. “He’s so mean and it hurts my feelings.”

“Have you told him it hurts your feelings? Or have you only tried to hurt his?”

There was a pause. “I used to pick on Kili,” he said when she continued to say nothing. “Nothing too mean, or so I thought. I just picked on him because I could. He would pick back, and it was fine. Then one day, I got upset and said things I shouldn’t have said, and Kili got very mad and actually _bit_ me.” Little fifteen year old dwarf with a mouth like a warg. Kili still grinned whenever Dis told this story. “I went to your uncle Thorin and told him what had happened, and he told me that just because I could say things like that didn’t mean that I should. I’d hurt Kili’s feelings. And it hadn’t occurred to me, that very young me, that I’d really hurt his feelings, because we always picked on each other. But I went too far and it wasn’t little things anymore. It was something very cruel.”

“What did you do?” Elodie asked.

“I apologized,” Fili said with a shrug. “I told him I was really sorry, because, well, I was. And Kili said he was sorry he bit me, and we were very careful about picking on each other for awhile.”

“You picked on him when I met you,” she pointed out, and Fili had to grin.

“I did. Because we’re okay with that now. But sometimes you build up picking on someone and you don’t realize you’ve crossed the line until it happens. Maybe Gerd did that.”

“Maybe,” she said, a bit sullenly. “But he said horrible things to me and Frodo.”

“Then maybe he’s just an orc himself,” Fili said without hesitation, and she giggled and sniffled all at once. Fili smiled down at her and pulled her into a one-armed embrace. She was about the same size as Holdred, tucked beside him, and it sent a wash of homesickness over him. He wanted to see his children, he wanted to see Dernwyn. He wanted to see Dis and he even wanted to see Kili, who at least was here in the Shire.

She laid her head on his shoulder, and Fili said the first thing that came to mind. “It was hard, after my father died. I won’t lie to you. It feels like everyone will leave or die and you’ll be all alone. I was very protective of Kili after he was born. I didn’t want to lose him either. I didn’t want Uncle Thorin or my mother out of my sight. And I was really angry too. Because it wasn’t fair.

“But things got better. And now I have the biggest family I could ever have imagined. I have all this happiness, and it doesn’t hurt when I think about my father. I think he’s smiling at me from the Halls.”

Another thought came to mind. “Do you know Lobelia?”

“I do,” Elodie said. “Uncle Bilbo calls her a ‘spitfire’. She’s really nice.”

“She didn’t use to be,” Fili said. “She said horrible things to your Uncle Bilbo. And then they became friends.”

Elodie blinked, surprised. “She only says mean things about people who say mean things about Uncle Bilbo, though.”

“Now, yes. But she didn’t use to. People change, that’s all.”

Elodie seemed to take that into consideration. “I think you’ll be okay here,” Fili said at last. “You’ve got Frodo, who seems to be a good little brother.”

“The best,” she said firmly, and he grinned.

“I would argue with you since I think _I_ have the best little brother, but that’s okay.” She giggled. “And your Uncle Thorin makes for a good father. I know. He helped raise me and Kili. And your Uncle Bilbo is very amazing, too.”

“I know,” she said softly. “I’m glad they’re here.”

For the first time since Thorin and Bilbo had left Erebor, Fili wasn’t sad that they’d left. As terrifying as it was to face the throne on his own, he at least had Dernwyn and Dis and Kili and a host of others surrounding him. Elodie had had no one in her corner. “Me too,” he said, and he meant it. “I’m glad they’re here, too.”

“I’m glad I got to meet you,” she said, which surprised him. “I hope all kings are as wise and good as you are.”

Fili snorted. “Some of them, I suppose. Not all of them. And I’m not sure I’m that wise or good, but I’m trying.”

“Then you try very well.”

He let out a laugh at that. “I’ll bear that in mind, Elodie. Thank you.”

They sat there for a time, nothing said between them. Just Fili and Elodie on the roof of Bag-End, thinking about a dozen things separately but doing so together. He’d meant to help her, but he’d wound up saying things he hadn’t said in a very long time. He felt the better for it, too.

The first to find them was Thorin, slowly coming around Bag-End to perhaps check on the backyard. “Hello, Uncle,” Fili called, and when Thorin glanced up, he froze and stared at the both of them. Elodie just watched Thorin approach until he was directly below them.

“Are you hurt?” he asked her. Elodie shook her head. He glanced to Fili for confirmation, and Fili just gave a small nod. Relieved, Thorin turned back to Elodie again. “Are you cold?”

Elodie paused. “A little,” she admitted.

Thorin said nothing, simply opened his arms for her. Fili let her go and watched carefully as she leaned out from the roof and fell into Thorin’s waiting embrace. He held her tightly for a long moment, and Fili remembered when Thorin had done the same to them as children. His unbreakable Uncle Thorin that the world couldn’t touch. He’d learned differently as he’d grown older, but he still believed it, a little.

Both Thorin and Elodie seemed to be waiting for him, so Fili jumped down from the roof, making a show of wincing when he went down a little farther than he’d originally thought he would. He got a giggle from Elodie for it and an eye roll from Thorin. Pleased, Fili headed for the front of Bag-End, Elodie leading the way. The others would start coming back in a bit, looking for clues the same way Fili had been intending to do. There was no need to start the call.

As soon as the door opened Bilbo was there, his worry plain for all to see. He didn’t hesitate when he saw Elodie, just swept her into his arms and held on tightly. “Oh my Elodie,” he murmured. “It’ll be all right, I promise.”

“I know,” she said, and Bilbo pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m sorry. For making you worry.”

“I’m always going to worry,” Bilbo replied, but he smiled and tweaked her nose a little, making her giggle. “Let’s get you something to eat, shall we? I think we could all do with a warm meal.”

“I think that sounds wonderful,” Thorin said. The two shared a look over Elodie’s head in that silent conversation way that they did, and then Bilbo was heading to the kitchen, Elodie right beside him. She glanced back at Fili once, but only to give him a smile, and then she skipped to catch up with Bilbo.

Fili found himself smiling in turn, though she didn’t see it. He headed into Bag-End but stopped at the hand at his elbow. He frowned and glanced at his uncle, who was watching him with knowing eyes. “You do try very well. And that is how I know you’ll be an excellent king.”

Fili froze. “How long did you listen?” he finally asked.

“For some time,” Thorin admitted. “I remember Kili biting you. It was quite a bite.”

“Mouth of a warg,” Fili muttered, and Thorin just chuckled.

“You deserved it.”

“I know.” Fili pursed his lips. “I always wondered why you never punished me for that, for saying what I did. I expected you to, or for Mother to. And neither of you did.”

Thorin smiled. “Because one, Kili’s bite was punishment enough. And two, because we knew why you’d said what you had. There’d been a cave-in at the mine that day, do you remember? And you’d been very afraid, thinking I’d been in there. When you’d found out that I was fine, you got angry. You got very angry. And that’s when you said those terrible things to Kili.”

Fili did remember that, now that Thorin mentioned it. “We knew why,” Thorin said quietly. “It didn’t make what you said right, but we understood the motivation behind it. Then Kili retaliated, and we left the matter at that, once you apologize and he apologized.”

“I should have known better,” Fili argued.

“Fili you were not even _thirty_. You were still a child. And you were a frightened child who had good reason to fear. We understood.”

He glanced into the kitchen and saw Elodie standing on a stool beside Bilbo, carefully buttering bread. “That’s why you haven’t told Elodie to apologize or to stop fighting back.”

“Until Gerd apologizes and honestly means it, no, I won’t. She needs to defend herself. The only thing we worry about is her hurting herself.”

“Not with Dwalin’s moves, she won’t,” Fili muttered.

“No, probably not.”

Footsteps hurried up the path into Bag-End. “We’ve covered the west hills but we couldn’t find anything,” Kili said, panting. “Is Bilbo here? Would he possibly know-“

Then he stopped, eyes inside the kitchen. “We found her,” Thorin said. “She’s fine. Fili spoke to her.”

“Good,” Kili said, and he was so adamant in his belief, honestly believing that Fili’s words alone had made all the difference, and Fili didn’t deserve it. He didn’t. But he would take it anyway.

So when he pulled Kili into an embrace and held on tightly, Kili didn’t hesitate to return it, though Fili could all but feel his brother’s confusion. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“I am,” Fili assured him. “Just…thank you.”

Kili squeezed his arms around him tighter. They stood there for a moment in the doorway until Bofur and Ori returned, and the others were close behind them. When they discovered Elodie safe and sound, they were all thrilled and exclaimed as much, and Fili watched with a smile the hopeful joy on Elodie’s own face as her new family surrounded her.

 

The next morning, a timid knock echoed through the hall. Bilbo glanced up from his book he was blearily trying to read and only set it aside when the timid knocking came again. He had a feeling he knew who it was, which meant it was Elodie he needed at the door.

“Sit,” Thorin said, coming down the hall and looking unfairly awake. “I can manage whomever it is. You should still be abed. When did you even _go_ to bed?”

“Some time after you did.” A few hours after Thorin had gone to sleep, and even after sliding between the sheets, Bilbo had stared up at the ceiling for a very long time, listening intently for the sound of the window opening in Elodie’s room or the sound of feet moving in the grass outside their window. But he’d heard nothing, and at long last, the stress of the day had worn him down and he’d fallen asleep. An unfair few hours later, it had been morning.

Thorin gave him the look he supposed his statement deserved – it was ridiculous how well Thorin knew him, and that was a good _and_ bad thing all at once – and opened the door. There, standing on the doorstep, was Gerd Proudfoot. He shuffled in place, hunching in on himself at the sight of Thorin. “Can, um, may I speak to Elodie, please?” he squeaked.

“That is if she will speak with you,” Thorin said, voice low, and Gerd looked even more terrified. Bilbo shook his head and finally pushed himself out of his seat. Thorin was going to give the boy palpitations at this rate.

“Elodie! You have a guest!” he called. Gerd looked relieved to see him, but Bilbo merely crossed his arms and gave the boy a disapproving look. “Did you decide to come over here on your own, or did your mother insist that you do so?” he asked him.

Gerd bit his lip. “A bit of both…?”

It would do. Elodie came down the hallway, stopping dead in her tracks when she spotted Gerd. Gerd winced a little, and now that Bilbo could see the boy for himself, there were definitely bruises to be seen, scratch marks from tussling about with Elodie. Yes, Elodie had definitely given more than she’d gotten.

After a moment, Elodie raised her head and marched swiftly to the door. Gerd immediately put his hands behind his back and cleared his throat. “Elodie, I’m very sorry-“

“You hurt my feelings,” Elodie said, interrupting him. Gerd stopped. “You said horrible and terrible things that weren’t true and you hurt my feelings.”

“I, I’m sorry,” Gerd stammered, but Elodie wasn’t done.

“How would you like it if your parents…if they died?” Elodie said, and Bilbo had never been more proud of her than in that moment. She stood, tall and imposing, and he couldn’t help but think back to Dernwyn when he’d met her. A protector and defender, standing tall even through her own pain. She would make quite the shieldmaiden.

“Well?” Elodie demanded, and though her eyes shone, she still stood firm. “How would you like it?”

“Not at all!” Gerd exclaimed. “It’s horrible!”

“Then why do you pick on me and say terrible things?”

“Because-!” And he swallowed hard. Elodie waited, arms crossed, and Gerd shifted uncomfortably. “Because I, I don’t want to think about it. My da fishes by the river a lot, and he can’t swim either.”

Elodie stared at him for a long moment. “I’m sorry,” Gerd said earnestly. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

No, he’d just been trying to protect his own feelings in the most basic and childish ways. Bilbo waited by Thorin’s side, offering Elodie their silent strength but not telling her how she should proceed. It was her decision now.

She took a deep breath and let her arms fall to her side. “I forgive you,” she finally said. “And I’m…sorry too. For pushing you and punching you. And kicking you.”

“And biting,” Gerd said, and he rubbed his arm ruefully.

“And biting,” she added. “But you deserved that.”

“Elodie,” Thorin did interject quietly at that, but Gerd actually spoke up, surprisingly.

“No, I did deserve it. I…didn’t mean to be so mean. I supposed I didn’t realize how much I was hurting you. I’m sorry, Elodie.”

“Will you keep picking on me?” she asked. “Some picking on is okay. When it’s between friends, that’s different. But not like you’ve been doing.”

“I won’t let anyone pick on you,” he swore. “Including me. I’ll speak up for you and Frodo.”

Elodie gave a sharp nod, then offered her hand. Bilbo managed to swallow back his amusement when Gerd solemnly took it and shook it. Given what Thorin had told him about Fili’s words last night, it was definitely his nephew’s influence that had conducted this affair and done it so well.

“Seems Fili is a fine negotiator for peace talks,” Bilbo murmured to his husband. Thorin covered his snort of amusement with a well placed cough.

Gerd turned his attention to Bilbo. “Am I dis…um, _dis-_ disinvited?” he asked hesitantly. “Because I really would like to come to any events so I can be friends with Elodie.”

Progress. “Yes, you are cordially invited once more to any and all future events,” Bilbo said. Elodie even smiled at that. “Please let your mother know.”

“I will,” Gerd said. “Thank you Mister Bilbo and Mister…Mister Thorin,” he squeaked out when Thorin leveled a glare at the boy. He quickly turned and ran down the path, barely managing to remember to close the gate as he did so.

Bilbo let out a sigh. “Oh, stop,” he said, smacking Thorin good-naturedly in the arm. “You’re not supposed to be terrifying the residents of Hobbiton.”

“I’ll do as I please when it comes to defending those I call mine,” Thorin muttered. Elodie looked far too pleased with the results of their conversation, so Bilbo scooted her further inside. Miscreants, the lot of them.

Thorin began to close the door, then stopped, stumbling back inside a little when a sudden force pushed back against him. Bilbo half reached for the umbrella stand where Sting was kept. As soon as he saw the grey cloth, however, he relaxed. “You could have knocked,” he said, raising an eyebrow at their second guest.

“The door was open,” Gandalf said reasonably. “There was no need to knock. Especially given that the last guest who knocked on your door seemed to flee in fear. Knocking, it seems, does not lend itself well to the knocker.”

“Gandalf!” Kili exclaimed, hurrying down the hallway, and that seemed to signal everyone else to come in and greet the wizard. Despite the grey robes, Bilbo could still see the magnificent white gleaming beneath, a show of his true power and might. He’d told Bilbo that he wandered about as he pleased these days, which was why he kept his grey robes. Bilbo was fairly certain that he kept them because he was quite content being the simple wizard who aided the beings of Middle-Earth. He’d never had airs about him, and Bilbo didn’t seem him starting anytime soon.

Once greetings had been done, Gandalf suddenly found himself with Frodo hanging on his robes. “Ah, and good day to you, little one,” he said, and he lifted Frodo with ease. Frodo giggled all the way up, putting a grin on the wizard’s face. “You’re getting heavier every time I see you! I had heard that dwarves ate rocks for breakfast, but never hobbits. Perhaps Thorin’s influence is strong on you, hm?”

Dwalin suddenly began coughing , his face bright red. Gandalf frowned at him, Frodo still high in his arms. “Are you well?” Gandalf asked him.

“Fine,” Dwalin managed. “Perfectly fine.”

Gandalf still frowned at him, and it was all Bilbo could do to keep a straight face. Thorin had a blank look going, and even Fili and Kili managed to look like they were only mildly interested in the going-ons.

“Well then,” Gandalf finally said, and he brought Frodo to the ground. “I am glad to see you growing so well, my dear Frodo. You and Elodie both are growing into fine young hobbits, and your mother and father would be very proud of you both.”

Dwalin cleared his throat. “Primula and Drogo, correct?” he finally asked.

Gandalf looked at him as if he’d grown three heads. “And who else did you think I was speaking of, my good dwarf?” he asked.

Dwalin just stared at him, then Frodo. Frodo stared back up at him. The room was silent.

Kili broke first, snickering, and the gig was up. Dwalin scowled at Fili and Kili, who were falling apart into peals of laughter, and Bilbo was fairly certain they were going to be set on fire by the fury of his dwarf brother’s eyes alone. He immediately spun to Bilbo and Thorin. “You…”

“What you assumed was well beyond me,” Thorin said, raising his hands. “If we…encouraged things, then you cannot fault us for being encouraging.”

“You _lout_ ,” Dwalin muttered, but his ears were red. He turned to Ori, but Ori immediately shook his head.

“No, no, I had nothing to do with this. None. I am guilt free.”

Dwalin eyed him suspiciously but then finally turned back to the room at large. Fili and Kili were still snickering, and Bilbo knew he looked as guilty as they did with his broad grin. It _had_ been awfully funny, though.

The door opened again and Esmeralda stepped inside, Merry and Bofur right behind her. “Gandalf!” she said cheerfully, then stopped, catching the grins on Kili and Fili’s faces while spotting the thundercloud on Dwalin’s. “Oh you told him already?” she complained. “I wanted to be here when you did!”

Dwalin’s outrage was a thing of beauty. “ _You_ told me about the old Took and Frodo being _from_ that-!”

“I was talking about Bilbo, and I didn’t say anything,” Esmeralda defended. “Whatever you took from the tale was your own fault.”

The resulting burst from Dwalin was well worth it. It took two dozen of Bilbo’s biscuits to settle him down, and even then he looked like a wounded puppy.

He did keep Frodo on his lap, though, who happily shared the biscuits with him. And if he was heard to mutter the words, “Just _look_ at the tot, then look at Thorin,” well, he wasn’t really that far off.

 

“Here,” Ori said, and he handed over a piece of paper. “That’s for you.”

The day was sunny and bright, and the horses had been retrieved from the stables. It was a good day for traveling, and Thorin knew Fili and Kili would make the most of it. They’d disappeared early in the morning with Elodie, Legolas, Tauriel, Esmeralda, Merry, and Gimli, though, and he wasn’t quite certain _where_ they’d gone. Elodie had mentioned the Sparrowlings, and since it was their last day here, Thorin had figured that was where they were off to. She seemed quite attached to Fili lately – it appeared Fili’s natural state as an older sibling had once more taken hold. Thorin was just glad to see it helping Elodie, who, after Gerd’s apology some days ago, was doing much better.

He could only hope it would last.

Thorin took the paper from Ori, frowning as his fingers instantly met the smooth feeling of charcoal. “It’s just a small sketch,” Ori explained. “I had to go by memory, so it may not be exact, but I still think it came out all right-“

Ori’s voice seemed to fade as Thorin cast his eyes over the drawing. There they were, the four of them, Fili and Kili tucked within his arms and Bilbo opposite him, wrapped within the embrace of his nephews. All four were smiling, and Thorin could almost feel Fili’s shoulder that he’d clasped, Kili’s hair brushing against his neck.

“…thought about using colors, but I decided I didn’t want to risk the charcoal-“

“Ori, it’s breathtaking,” Thorin said, and that stopped the scribe in his tracks. He gave his friend a grateful smile and embraced him. “Thank you. I cannot describe how much it means to me.”

He would make a frame for it. This drawing, this one was special.

Ori grinned when they parted, cheeks a little red from the praise. “I’m better with my writing than my drawing,” he admitted. “But it was too beautiful a moment to pass up.”

“And I am grateful that you did not.” More grateful than Ori could possibly know. Bilbo would love it.

His eyes seemed inevitably drawn to his husband, standing in front of Bag-End with the horses. He was teasing Dwalin from the looks of it, and Dwalin gave him a begrudging grin before also gifting him a quick shove. Bilbo just laughed it off, obviously not worried about Dwalin’s temperament in the slightest. It seemed Dwalin had gotten over his ‘grump’ of being played. Served him right for thinking Frodo was Thorin’s blood child. Honestly.

Already the sun from the Shire was turning Bilbo’s hair a bright gold despite the few grey hairs fluttering about, and there were little freckles around his nose that Thorin thought were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His laugh lines were more pronounced, as much smiling and laughing as he did now, and he was calm and he was happy, so very happy, here in the Shire. Happy and not in pain at all.

Gandalf had already gone, off to wander the world once more. He had caught Thorin on his way out, however, and had spoken with him briefly. “I know what it is you fear, in the back of your mind,” the wizard had murmured in a way that no one else could hear him. “And all I have to tell you is that the great evil that was once of this world and borne by Bilbo may, in fact, ease your worries.”

“What would that Ring do that is good?” Thorin had whispered, aghast. “It is better off destroyed.”

“Indeed it is. But it gave Gollum a great, long life. There is nothing to say that it will not allow Bilbo a few extra years.”

With that, the wizard had taken his leave, and Thorin had long pondered the words through the evening hours. The creature Gollum had lived well past his intended lifespan. Perhaps…perhaps it would grant Bilbo much of the same. He could only hope.

“Uncle Thorin! Uncle Bilbo!”

Thorin turned at the sound of Elodie’s voice, only to find himself faced with _much_ too pleased faces. Bilbo was also staring in shock, blinking as he faced the wriggling mass in Elodie’s arms.

“It’s a puppy!” Elodie exclaimed. The pup panted happily in her grasp, pushing itself up in order to lick at Elodie’s chin. She grinned and held it closer. “Isn’t he beautiful?”

“My hound had puppies!” Gerd said, coming out from behind Legolas. He blanched a little at the sight of Thorin but held his ground. “He’s free to a good home, honest. You can ask my mother. But Elodie and Frodo could have a guard hound all to themselves!”

Thorin slowly came to the gate to join his husband and Dwalin. Kili and Fili stood beside his niece, looking proud as proud could be. Even Legolas, Tauriel, and Gimli looked non-repentant. Slowly Thorin turned his gaze to the pup.

He looked as if he would be a sizable hound when he grew; even now Elodie struggled to keep him in her embrace. He wasn’t brown, nor was he fluffy, as Elodie had once described wanting, but had silver and white fur that included a little white patch down the nose. His little ears went up as Thorin approached, before he settled back into panting happily.

Thorin swiveled to glance at his husband and found Bilbo doing much the same. _Well, you did say you’d give Elodie the moon,_ Bilbo seemed to say, and Thorin realized they were all waiting on him to make an announcement.

With a sigh Thorin surrendered. “You will take care of him, if he’s to be yours.”

“I will,” Elodie said, all but bounding in her excitement. “I swear I will. He’ll be my responsibility I promise!”

Thorin highly doubted he would be _all_ Elodie’s responsibility – that was how pets worked – but he was willing to accept a small portion of the duties, provided that it kept Elodie smiling like that. That was all he could ask for.

“Puppy!” Frodo exclaimed from behind Thorin, and he whirled around to find the tot on top of Dwalin’s shoulders. Dwalin shrugged, lifting Frodo up and making him giggle. Thorin merely shook his head with a chuckle.

“What’s his name?” Fili asked. “He has to have a respectable name, you know.”

“Wingtail,” she proclaimed. “He’ll be my guard hound. And I’ll teach him how to fetch.”

It was a half decent name, Thorin had to admit. He’d been half afraid it would be after a fruit or a flower. Those worked for a lass’s name, but not so much for a guard hound.

Elodie quickly hurried towards the house, and Frodo immediately insisted on being put down to follow her. Gerd, after watching Thorin, followed after, and then it was Merry and Sam, who’d apparently also been with the puppy-retrieving group.

“You sap,” Bilbo said fondly. Before Thorin could protest, his husband pressed a kiss to his cheek. “My big sap,” he said. “I think he’ll fit right in with the rest of us.”

Then Bilbo turned and headed for Kili and Fili first, giving them warm embraces. The memory of his kiss on Thorin’s cheek was still warm, and he realized he was probably grinning like a fool but he didn’t care. The warm Shire air was all around him, Bilbo was safe and happy, Elodie and Frodo were healing, and Thorin?

Thorin was at peace. There was little more he could say after that. It was more than he had ever dreamed of having.

“You _are_ a sap,” Dwalin told him, but he clasped Thorin’s arm with his before embracing him. “You’re allowed to visit, you know.”

“As are you,” Thorin said. It took a bit for either of them to let go, however, and Thorin had to remind himself that it was a mere two months between them. That was all.

Everyone quickly said their farewells, refusing to draw it out. Legolas held onto him tightly, true sorrow in his eyes that he attempted to hide. Kili actually seemed to be faring better than his husband, and Thorin made a mental note to write to his elf son as much as he could in the months between visits. Legolas had already lost one father, Thorin would not see him lose another.

“You know,” Fili said, as he came forward to embrace Thorin. “I think that the trade route with the Blue Mountains will involve more…hands on work. Personally seen by myself. And of course, I would have to bring others with me.”

“Perhaps Dernwyn,” Kili offered. “Diplomatic visiting and all that.”

“I am certain that Lord Elrond would be pleased by a diplomatic visit as well,” Tauriel suggested, and her eyes seemed to dance.

Thorin could feel his smile growing, and Legolas, too, was now almost chuckling. “In that case, you would be close enough to stop by, it seems,” Thorin said.

Fili’s eyes went wide, as if just realizing the implications of such ‘diplomatic’ visits. “Why, I suppose you’re right! Well then, we’d just have to visit, wouldn’t we?”

Bilbo snorted, highly amused. “Just give me fair warning, for the sake of my pantry. It wouldn’t do to have you all show up and not have any sort of food within it, now would it?”

“As if that pantry’s ever been empty before,” Kili scoffed.

“Actually, I can remember a time where it was _quite_ empty-“

“That was _one time_ and you know I didn’t mean to include that!”

Thorin left them to it and turned to Fili. “Will you be all right?” he asked his sister son.

Fili smiled, and it was with confidence that he gave his nod. “I think I will be. You’re where you’re supposed to be, and when I return to Erebor, that’ll be where I’m supposed to be. I think I can do this.”

“I know you can,” Thorin countered. He pressed their foreheads together. “Be well. I expect to hear good things from when you return.”

“You will, I promise.”

It seemed only seconds later that they were all on their horses, and Frodo and Elodie were there with a puppy skipping about their heels, and then the rest of the children were waving their arms frantically as Fili led the way out of the Shire. Thorin watched them go, Bilbo tucked beside him, until he could see them no more.

Bilbo sighed softly. “I think they’ll be all right,” he said. “I think we will, too.”

“I do as well,” Thorin murmured. Bilbo was warm beside him, and Thorin felt his fingers tighten reflexively in Bilbo’s shoulder just because he _could_. Bilbo was his to have and to hold in peace and warm, safe weather from now until the end of their days. He couldn’t have asked for anything better than that.

“Think we’re ready for lunch,” Bofur said, and when Thorin glanced over, the dwarf was grinning. “Aren’t you all hungry?”

“Very,” Elodie said.

“Starving,” Merry said.

“I could eat,” Gerd agreed.

“Will there be bacon?” Sam asked.

“Bisk?” Frodo asked.

“Oh dear,” Bilbo murmured. Louder, he said, “All these hungry little hobbits and probably not a _clean_ table to feed them at…”

In an instant they had all disappeared back inside Bag-End, racing to tidy up the table. “That’s cruel,” Bofur said. “Child slavery.”

“I call it ‘chores’, and it’s only fair,” Bilbo countered. “Food for services rendered.”

Thorin found himself laughing all the way back into Bag-End, trailing behind Bofur, Esmeralda, and his husband. Through the windows, the air came in warm and with a welcoming breeze.

_Finis_

 


End file.
